Installing Audio Codec with Basic MSI project type.

[LukasErtl]

I have basic msi projet, that shall install audio codec G723A32 using G723A32.ACM file. This requires simply to distribute the file into target computer system folder (System32) and create two registry entry. The Audio codec shall be registered after installation and some additional registry entry shall be created into Microsoft node. But this is not happening when I use Basic MSI project type, it only happens when I use the Installscript project type. It seems like the Basic MSI has some limitation in rights (like admin rights). Both project are setup to run as Administrator, but still, one does not work.

I tried the same thing with InstallScript project type and it worked just fine. I dont know why? What is the different between Basic MSI and InstallScript? How can I make my Basic MSI project to work? There is no dependency on other components/features.

‎I did some testing and I found out how to install the audio codec manually and if I do that, the basic MSI project works too.

Steps to test it:

1. Start clean installation of Windows (virtual machine).
2. Copy G723A32.ACM file into C:\Windows\System32
3. Create Registry entry to register codec file:
   1. Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Drivers32
      1. msacm.g723a32acm=g723a32.acm
   2. Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\drivers.desc
      1. g723a32.acm=G723 ADPCM Audio CODEC

These steps install the audio file.

I did all of these, then I removed these steps from my installshield basic msi project and I built the app without installation of audio codec.

Then I installed this new build on the test machine with manually installed audio codec and it works just fine. So the issue seems to be in BASIC MIS project type and replicating these steps. Can you help me?

[LukasErtl]

Steps to test it:

1. Start clean installation of Windows (virtual machine).
2. Copy G723A32.ACM file into C:\Windows\System32
3. Create Registry entry to register codec file:
   1. Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Drivers32
      1. msacm.g723a32acm=g723a32.acm
   2. Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\drivers.desc
      1. g723a32.acm=G723 ADPCM Audio CODEC

These steps install the audio file.

I did all of these, then I removed these steps from my installshield basic msi project and I built the app without installation of audio codec.

Then I installed this new build on the test machine with manually installed audio codec and it works just fine. So the issue seems to be in BASIC MIS project type and replicating these steps. Can you help me?

[shunt]

You mentioned that you are registering the .acm file "after installation" - does this mean that your application is registering the file when it is first launched?

How are you registering the .acm file? Are you using regsvr32?
If you manually register the .acm file on a machine via a command prompt as a test - does this work, and what command are you using?

[LukasErtl]

Hi, 

no, the file is registered during installation, I should write that it is done during installation, after moving files.

I did some testing and I found out how to install the audio codec manually and if I do that, the basic MSI project works too.

Steps to test it:

1. Start clean installation of Windows (virtual machine).
2. Copy G723A32.ACM file into C:\Windows\System32
3. Create Registry entry to register codec file:
   1. Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Drivers32
      1. msacm.g723a32acm=g723a32.acm
   2. Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\drivers.desc
      1. g723a32.acm=G723 ADPCM Audio CODEC

These steps install the audio file.

I did all of these, then I removed these steps from my installshield basic msi project and I built the app without installation of audio codec.

Then I installed this new build on the test machine with manually installed audio codec and it works just fine. So the issue seems to be in BASIC MIS project type and replicating these steps. Can you help me?

Lukas

[LukasErtl · Accepted solution]

During setup of the project, I have drag and dropped the registry values from build machine. Because I have dropped the parent key, it contained the Default key too. This default key was the reason the registry were overwritten and not working.